Shades of lust
by Freya's Valhalla
Summary: Uchihacest, Akatsukismex, master-slave. Sasuke has been raised as a slave and when he thought things couldn't get any worse; ends up in Akatsuki. Only Akatsuki is no criminal organization, but a whorehouse instead.
1. I

_**Warnings: This is aimed to be an erotic story graced with angst and yaoi lemons, so if you do not enjoy reading about homosexual relationships/sex or expect to find character's fucking each other senseless and wanting to be raped in every paragraph, this is not your story. **_

**I have no damn idea where this came out of, but it suddenly popped in my head this afternoon and I just had to write it, so here it is. Hope you like it :)**

**xxXxx**

Uchiha Sasuke only had one thing in his life worth lingering to. Born in misery, raised by a bunch of scrimpy thieves, stripped of his dignity in countless occasions and always sold to the highest bidder, the only thing which he could still hang onto was something as trivial as his name. It was his sole possession. He had heard stories. Stories about the exploits, wealth and power the Uchiha clan disposed of or at least, had disposed of once in history. That was, until a twist of fate decided to siege the clan. No, not fate; one of its own kinsmen. Murder. Genocide, slaughter, reckoning, vengeance, justice… the outcome had been called by many names. Yet no one could sentence the truth, thus that's what tales are for; granting a sort of freedom of speculation. Not that Sasuke cared anyway. The only thing that mattered was that luckily, what else if not, his life had been spared. It made sense. Whoever had been responsible for the death of Sasuke's relatives, would most probably have no knowledge of the existence of an Uchiha running loose in the world, begging for a piece of bread in the streets or to his masters when he happened to be under one's wing. There was no time for shame to be held, nor time for tears to be shed. Not if Sasuke wanted to survive. The first time he had been picked up from a filthy corner and delivered to a committee integrated by low ranked nobles; he had been sold to a retired shinobi. The man was tired after walking down the self-sacrifice road; serving his country by breaking bones, chopping down heads and bleeding for a so called _'nation stability'_.

Therefore he seemed to have no remorse in beating up Sasuke whenever he erred in completing his chores or demands as efficiently as expected or simply refused to perform them from the start. That was, of course, until the ninja whipped, strangled or injured him in any possible form; then Sasuke would comply. He was around eight then and if that was supposed to be childhood for a street wanderer, then he might as well prefer not to recall having any infancy.

Next thing he knew, he was on his own again and it wasn't until he turned fourteen that he was sold once again. This time to a grumpy old nobleman who spend his time between either unwelcomed paperwork or young women's legs. Sometimes even men's. Exactly because of his master's indifference regarding his sexual preferences, was how Sasuke discovered what sex was and not precisely its theory. He was rude, gruff, insensitive and luckily; fast. After all, he could claim Sasuke any time. Sasuke was pretty sure he had never been much of a crier, at least as far as he could remember; which most likely was from seven. But that day he cried. He crawled up onto the bed and under the sheets – it was nice to be able to collapse in a mattress after so long - twining his shaking frame into a ball, still feeling his master's sticky manhood dripping between his legs as he wept for what seemed like hours until sleep finally hit him.

Sasuke's next master was by far the worst of them all. He was sixteen and therefore no longer sold at child's price, although the fact that he had already been sexually tainted did lower his fee. With his first master, basic needs as meals, water and sleep seemed to be something unnecessary for survival to the ninja – at least regarding Sasuke – but he was free from sexual harassment. With his second, Sasuke was granted the liberty to wander around the various luxury chambers, was treated to meals and offered as much sleep as required, as long as Sasuke would later on indulge his master's whims, which obviously involved a huge amount of sex. Compared to his third, the other two previous one's almost seemed merciful. Almost.

The irony was that although his third master had been the executor of the most deep and indelible scars that Sasuke still pondered nowadays, he had in a sense also been the most absent. He locked up Sasuke in a room; depriving him of food, water, interaction and even light for most of the time. His master would usually enter Sasuke's cell once a day, sometimes twice if he had great need or hadn't been enough satisfied yet. At first, Sasuke was glad – as glad as anyone could be in his situation – that his master didn't give him any chores to carry out – besides pleasuring him, if that can be considered an actual occupation – but after what Sasuke thought as of months – not like he could keep an exact track of time – he actually would've not even minded to beg to be forced to take care of any job. Any. By that time, even scraping floors and washing clothes seemed an enjoyable task. Anything before just sitting around; chained up in a dark room, counting the seconds to be toyed with by his master and beaten to unconsciousness. Though, Sasuke knew he had to accept sometimes he even wished for his master to walk in, no matter what the consequences were. It was a twisted and unconceivable crave, but he guessed it was what was called '_need for human contact'_.

Sasuke's stay under his third master's ownership must've lasted a year. He could tell by the temperature shifts that draped the room, which meant his seventeenth birthday was approaching or had already flown by. But that fact was far from his main concern at the moment, thus he had just happened to awake in an unknown chamber. There was a couch, a set of carpets gathered around the room, a big wooden table next to a kitchen counter in one side and a shelf filled with books and unfamiliar items, among other things. Sasuke was laying on the couch and quickly sat up, inspecting his surroundings thoroughly. That's when he realized he was wearing a dark blue yukata tied on neatly. Now he was sure he no longer was in his master's residence and was probably not even under his care anymore, thus he'd never educe Sasuke from his cell and much less dress him into that. Unless it was some kind of wicked joke. He was about to stand up and make his way through the place when the only door in sight suddenly opened.

"You're so dead, man. That was a nobleman back there."

"So?"

"So Pain's gonna beat your sorry ass when he figures out you ditched a feudal lord's offer. Lot of money there."

"I guess my ass is not as cheap as yours, then."

"Say what?"

Sasuke stared blankly at the two subjects that had just intruded and seemed totally unaware of his presence. One was a redhead, who walked confidently towards the kitchen counter, opening one of the cabinets, while the other man, a long haired blonde, stood in the middle of the room, near the couch.

"I'm not even discussing this with you, Deidara. It is not worth the time."

"But you_ are _aware of the shit load you've put yourself on top?"

Sasuke moved to gain a better view of both men and the shift of his body weight on the couch finally alerted Sasori and Deidara.

"Wohoa! Newbie's up!"

Sasori only gave Sasuke a brief glance before continuing to pour water in a glass.

"Slept well princess?" Deidara moved closer to Sasuke.

No response.

"Aaah, you're a quite one. Although I was expecting that", he leaned over the edge of the couch, his face now only a few inches from Sasuke's before he purred sensually next to his earlobe, "don't worry, we'll have time to fix that."

"Quit the crap, Deidara, it's his first day", Sasori spat from the other side of the room. Deidara hissed and retreated, walking towards the door he had entered through.

"Whatever. I'm going to go call Pain; he must be eager to personally meet his new purchase."

And with that, Deidara left both Sasuke and Sasori behind in silence. None of them made any attempt of conversation; one because of his lack of interest and the other because of his still fazed shock and years of knowledge that had shown him to never speak if not asked to. It wasn't long until Deidara returned, accompanied by a tall orange haired man who wore several piercings along his face and had a pair of purple disturbing eyes. Once the man walked towards the couch, Sasuke noticed there seemed to be somebody else standing near the entrance, but the angle didn't allow him to discern if his assumptions were correct. Deidara made himself comfortable in a seat, while Sasori left the room without further words. Pain stood in front of Sasuke, fully scanning the boy.

"Is your name Sasuke?" Pain asked bluntly. Sasuke still remained silent, slightly curving his back in a defensive position.

"Answer."

Now that made things much more clear.

"Yes." Sasuke's voice sounded unfamiliar to himself, he couldn't recall when he had last spoken and he sensed the dryness and quiver that had risen in his throat.

"Do you know where you are? And I expect you to answer every further question without me having to carve it in your forehead."

Pain's tone was defiant and there was no emotion to be read in his features.

"No." There was absolutely no way he was still at his master's hideout and the inflow of so many people in such a short time was making Sasuke quite uneasy.

"You are in Akatsuki. I have purchased you under the condition of slave, which I am aware you are familiar with. You are expected to operate under our brothel's rules and comply any order given by your superiors, whom you'll be introduced to later on. Have I made myself clear?"

There was a heavy silence. One of those ones you do not want to be put through under any circumstances. _Brothel? He did say a brother, right? Isn't that a whorehouse? I've been bought as a sex slave? _Sasuke's mind was spinning, trying to process the incoming information that had struck him numb. _No. Fucking. Way._

"Pain sure doesn't like to repeat himself, little princess. I'd answer fast if you wanna keep your head in place", Deidara's voice rang playfully, making Sasuke snap out of his commotion.

"Y-yes, you have made yourself clear."

"Master. You shall address me and your superiors as master from now on."

That wasn't new.

"I understand, master."

"Then you shall be escorted to your room and wait for further orders." Pain ceased the staring and walked over the entrance, not without warning Deidara to keep his mouth shut from now on before he left. After some quiet cursing from the blonde, he also exited the chamber.

"I'll see you soon, princess", Deidara joked before disappearing down the aisle.

Wait. Wasn't he supposed to be escorted? God knows where the Hell Sasuke was right now and how many rooms and hallways this place had.

"So you're Sasuke". A smooth and calm voice echoed in the room and Sasuke almost jumped out of his seat at the unexpected tune. There was a man standing in front of the entrance now, glancing down at Sasuke. So there _had_ been someone else there. He was slim and taller than Sasuke. Some dark hair fell straight along his face while the rest of it was tied in a loose ponytail. His eyes were as dark as his locks and two thin tear ducts lined clearly under his sockets. He stood still a few seconds, waiting for any possible reply from Sasuke and continued to speak as he received none.

"My name is Itachi. I'm guessing the first thing you'll be wondering about me is if I'm one of the ones you have to address as Master. Well, technically, I am. But you can ignore the title; I don't mind you calling me by my name."

Now _that_ was new.

Sasuke had learned by heart, or rather by fist, some basic guidelines that no slave should forget in order to preserve his life or at least to avoid some harsh punishment. And addressing his owners in a respectful manner such as _Master _was on the list's top ten, as well as never speaking or locking gazes if not ordered to. Itachi wasn't surprised though by Sasuke's silence. He was after all used to dealing with slaves, regardless of their age, gender or past and most of them were to frightened and psychologically destroyed to even dare to rise their voice if they were not a hundred percent sure they wouldn't receive a reprimand in return.

"I mean it. You will not be punished if you don't call me Master. Although I guess it should be best if you did in front of others, but when left alone, there is no need for you to do so."

Sasuke's body was turned towards Itachi, but his gaze was hidden under his bangs as his chin was lowered, preventing Itachi from being able to see through him. _This is not going to be easy. _Not that he expect it to be; the information Itachi had received about Sasuke's whereabouts before landing in Akatsuki was surely not encouraging.

"Come, I'll show you around." Itachi anticipated something, _anything_, to come out of the boy's lips, but that was probably asking for too much. Sasuke's body tensed. He did not feel like being toured, did not feel like following anyone, did not feel like talking and definitely did not feel like being in a fucking whorehouse! How the heck had he ended up here? For how long was he going to be staying? Was he really going to be fucked by random people every day?

_Oh I am so screwed_.

"I know it's your first day, so you probably must be going through quite a few mental struggles, but you won't be required to work until tomorrow or even the day after…"

_And that's supposed to make me feel better or something?!_

"… so I could just take you straight to your room. You'll get to know the place sooner enough anyway."

_Ah, yeah. He's trying to be nice… not falling for that one. _

Itachi was still eyeing him. Was he stubborn, slow or just freaking scared? Either way, he had to get Sasuke moving some way or another.

"I'm not going to act as if I know how you feel, that would be naïve of me. But what I can assure you is you'll be better off coming with me now than staying here alone. You'd be a juicy appetizer for this bunch of horndogs."

_There, now that's better._

Sasuke finally acknowledged Itachi's speech by slowly getting up of the couch. Itachi grinned satisfied, seeing the boy walk towards him, though Sasuke's gaze was still shallowly fixated on the ground.

"It's a big place, so stay close", Itachi warned, waiting for Sasuke to get nearer, "you'll probably still get lost the first times you wander alone."

_Great. As if I didn't already have enough shit on me. _

**xxXxx**

* * *

**Yup, sorry, no lemon in this one. Can't expect me to throw in graphic sex from the start if I wanna give this some damn consistency, but do not fear, cause there will be plenty of yaoi yumminess. I mean, we're talking about Uchihacest AND Akatsuki summed up in one; so something good has to come out of that, right? **

**REVIEWS would help knowing what you think of this start AND – now this is important, dear readers – I'd LOVE to know which pairs you'd like me to write for (oh and in case you still haven't noticed, ItaSasu is out of question) :D**


	2. II

**Kill me. Seriously, it's been like three months since I updated ANY story. First it was exams, then spacing out, then more exams, then summer courses, then summer parties… what can I say? I was just not in the mood for fanfiction. I'm SO HAPPY for actually receiving pm's from people wondering if I were going to continue writing, really, I'm thrilled that some even took the time for that. And of course thanks to all the reviewers/followers! It's wonderful to be back and feel the love :D. ENJOY!**

**xxXxx  
**

* * *

Calling the brothel big was quite an understatement. It was huge. It consisted of a succession of narrow and wide hallways inserted so that one could know where both the main and private chambers were. The walls were a dirty white color and the tiling flaunted the wounds of time in its grooves. Sasuke had followed Itachi through the framework of halls with silent parsimony, covertly scrutinizing his surroundings. He could smell the intense and sweet fragrance of the incense that emanated from the crowded rooms, from where Sasuke could also clearly distinguish the sensual moans of several women and the flunkey demands of men. Sasuke's room was simple and sober compared to the luxurious lounges disposed for services. The rooms for slaves were located in the south wing of the house, far from the working chambers in order to avoid the flagrant practices of the clients to disturb the thrall's breaks. Sasuke awaited for instructions, but only received a few respectful words from Itachi and a brief explanation of the house's rules.

"You're a slave. Forget the word liberty, you have none. You're not allowed to leave the house unless accompanied by one of the masters. You can wander around as much as you want, as long as you don't interfere with your partners or clients own business. There's usually food and beverages in the canteen, where you woke up. You can grab anything you need, just be wise. If you need to wash there's a bathroom down the hall. You break something, you pay it, so be careful with what you use. Pain doesn't stand troublemakers —not that you look like one— so try to be as obliging as you can in order to keep yourself from being castigated. As for recommendations: the client always speaks the truth, be pleasing and always be on guard with your partners."

Itachi tried to make eye contact with Sasuke, but the youngest was as usual avoiding his gaze.

"Do you have any questions?"

_Why am I here?_

"No, master." Itachi narrowed his gaze at the name.

He didn't stay much longer. Sasuke was left alone to examine his new room, which constituted of a bed with two pillows, two night tables, each with an unlit candle sitting on them and an old wooden closet.

**xxXxx**

He didn't get much sleep that night. Past memories flooded his mind, making him stir in bed nonstop. He could remember the cries of horrors from the maids when they attended his bruised body, his master's sweet talking while he bled him, the perverse smiles across his face, the cold nights crouching in a filthy corner… the nightmares. Sasuke woke up the next morning drenched in sweat, both because of the heat and the painful reminiscences. He threw the sheets aside and walked towards the window through where the first sun rays where starting to seep. He could see several buildings and even what looked like a market. How much he wished to go out. He had spent so much time locked in that dismal cell he had almost forgotten the freshness of a breeze, the comforting warmth of the sun or simply the vision of the horizon.

Brushing his arm against the wall, he became aware of the absence of his clothes. He wasn't used to dressing elegantly. The last time he had worn something decent had been years ago with his second master. He liked to dress Sasuke in silk and feign he enjoyed the fineness when he was in reality dying to tear the beautiful fabric apart and put him on his four. Sasuke opened the closet and sank into the yukatas hanging on the racks. He had squinted them the past night, but the deep rejection towards his situation and the discomfiture had taken taken away his interest. He opted for a dark crimson colored one. While he was girdling it, he heard someone knock on the door. Sasuke waver before the gesture but finally decided to personally open. He found Itachi on the other side of the door, dressed up in a black outfit, giving him a tentative look.

"Did you sleep well?"

Sasuke backed a bit and took a few seconds to answer.

"Yes, master."

"You don't have to call me that. I'm fine with it."

Sasuke was reluctant to dropping the appellative so easily, afraid Itachi could be trying to fool him into trusting his word.

"You said I should always be on guard with my partners, master. I'm following your advice."

Itachi couldn't hold a faint smile at Sasuke's daring reply. At least the boy seemed to maintain some spirit.

"You got me there", Itachi slightly turned his head back at the sound of steps nearby before staring back at Sasuke, "that looks good on you". Sasuke quickly looked down at his clothes, startled by Itachi's compliment.

"Thank you…" Sasuke struggled with himself, "master." Itachi huffed.

"Come, there are things that need to be done."

Itachi guided Sasuke downstairs. The corridors were darker and the incense fragrance was spicier than the sweeter one that impregnated the upper floors. Sasuke cached glimpse of a young girl sitting next to a half-naked man, his arm surrounding her smaller frame as she gracefully made her way on his lap. Her eyes were the color of newly grown grass and their gazes met briefly before she buried her face on the man's neck. Once Itachi reached his destiny, he opened the door and motioned for Sasuke to enter. The room was bigger than Sasuke's and there were no decorations or signs of lushness.

"Finally, pretty boy's here", Deidara grinned as he stretched himself over the bed, "I don't have all day, Itachi." Itachi ignored the blonde and closed the door behind him. He could feel Sasuke's gaze on him.

"Though I have to say I _am_ kind of excited. Tasting fresh meet is always exciting". Deidara lifted his naked upper body from the mattress and stared at Sasuke invitingly. "Come here, princess, I won't bite… yet."

"Deidara."

"Yeah, yeah, don't kill the mood, Itachi."

Sasuke eyed Deidara blankly, unwilling to give into his perky demands. What was going on?

"What? You thought you would just lay down on a bed and let them do you? You're a whore now. An expensive dirty slut man and women are going to pay for to use and be satisfied by. Some will want you submissive, some will want you dominant and some will want you to match their fantasies", Deidara slid his tongue over his lips, "Either way, you'll need to fulfill their expectations and the only way you learn how to give a good fuck is through experience. So move your skinny ass over here already and let's get to work."

Deidara's speech whacked Sasuke like a fist. He was about to actually give him sex lessons. _Practical_ sex lessons. Sasuke rolled his eyes towards Itachi, who was standing right next to him impassibly. It's not like Sasuke had a choice. He had indeed had become a sex slave and neither of the man in the room seemed disturbed by what was about to happen. Sasuke walked towards Deidara's side listless.

"What do you want me to do, master?" He asked once he was standing in front of the blonde.

"I'm not your damn master, I'm as screwed as you are. Now show me what you can do."

Sasuke glanced down at Deidara inquiringly. He had never been asked to take the initiative and he wasn't very sure he actually knew how or where to start. He had usually been pinned to the bed or whatever surface was within reach and would be pounded senseless under his master's will.

"But wh-"

Before Sasuke could complain, Deidara grabbed him by his wrists and pulled him on his lap. Sasuke sat on him gawkily, his lips only a few inches away from the blonde's. He decided to give it a try and slowly pushed his mouth against Deidara's. He moved his lips roughly in an almost desperate way while his hands rested idly against Deidara's biceps. Deidara yanked Sasuke by the back of his head and motioned for him to go slower. Sasuke complied, adapting to a calmer speed. Once they parted for air, Deidara hissed in disapproval but gestured for Sasuke to keep going. Deidara laid on the bed, still drawing Sasuke over him. The youngest stared at his awaiting companion in doubt, sliding his pale hands over his chest. He then leaned down and started to trace deep kisses down his throat. He kept the rest of his body tense, only focusing on one action at a time. Sasuke ventured his tongue lower, meeting one of Deidara's nubs. He gave it some vivid licks, circling the rosy skin with his tongue before he bit it. Deidara whizzed at the touch and turned his head uncomfortably. Sasuke retreated at the sound.

"Watch it kid, it's not candy!"

"You should stroke it more first", Itachi's voice rang next to them, "it's a sensitive spot. You should know."

Sasuke glanced at him apprehensively, fighting back the urge to yell at them he hadn't asked to be there, much less doing this. Instead, he went back to pleasing Deidara, who was certainly not getting aroused by all of this. Sasuke squeezed one nipple gently, stroking it more carefully than before. Itachi then took Sasuke's other hand and guided it down Deidara's lower abdomen, right over Deidara's waistband. He could slightly feel Itachi's breath against his cheek. Sasuke understood the hint and slowly slid his hand under Deidara's clothes, meeting his manhood…

_No_. Sasuke wanted to get up and run away. At least try, thus he wouldn't get very far with Itachi standing right next to him and a bunch of people transiting the house. But the thought of carrying on his actions was revolting. He didn't want this. Deidara sensed his apathy and started to sway his hips against Sasuke's hand in an attempt to turn them both on, but Sasuke's mind was blocked and he just wasn't about to keep on going the nice way.

"I can't", Sasuke spat, removing himself from Deidara's grasp.

"What the…?"

"I'm not doing this", he repeated as he stood up and walked away from the bed. Itachi was about to say something when Deidara also stood up and stepped right in front of Sasuke.

"Listen, if you think any of us likes doing this shit you're wrong. Well maybe Hidan, but he's a whole other story. You're lucky I'm not Pain or you'd already be on your knees begging for mercy."

Deidara stormed out of the room through curses, leaving the other two behind. Itachi leaned against the door frame, watching Deidara walk away disgruntled. A heavy silence filled the room. Sasuke clenched his fists and fiercely stroked his hair as if he could brush away all the anxiety nesting in his core with a simple movement.

"He's right."

Sasuke glared at Itachi, vexed by the undesired truth.

"So what? That doesn't make it righter!"

Sasuke seemed to have forgotten his condition, position and abashment and Itachi was taken away by his sudden outcome. As soon as the words left his lips, Sasuke already regretted letting them slip by, but there was no way to take them back.

"Master…", Sasuke bowed his head in sign of submission.

"Sasuke, I'm not your master", Itachi cut him sternly. "And I don't care if you speak your mind. Deidara does, Hidan does, Kisame does… just because we do what we do doesn't mean we have to like it. We just have to do it."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to be speechless. _A slave. I'm a sex slave now. _He had to accept it, learn to live with everything it entailed and just try his best to keep himself out of trouble and overall; sane and alive. There was nobody around to blame for this and he'd do no good by rebelling. He sure had learned that through all this years. _We just have to do it._

"I'll learn", Sasuke voiced, trying to sound as convincing as possible, "I'll learn how to please."

Itachi sighed, aware of the hidden true unwillingness that seized Sasuke's words. He didn't want to learn. Who'd want to? Not like this at least, not at the cost of one's dignity. He had also once gone through the same. Not entirely the same way, but still through pressure and fear. The life of a slave.

"Then I will teach you."

**xxXxx**

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**Don't be mad, beloveds! If you've read some of my other stories you know I'm perfectly capable of jumping into action, but I like taking my time with this one. I consider it a much more realistic approach ;). Please review and keep in touch! I'll definitely try to upload sooner this time :***!**


	3. III

**I'm very happy to see this story is getting such good feedback. What can I say? I really am enjoying writing this also, so there, what an awesome combination we have! :D Classes are starting again in a few days, but hopefully I'll be able to fit some time for Fanfiction. Thanks so much for the love; I hope you dears never leave! Enjoy :)**

**xxXxx  
**

Sex had never been so oddly satisfying. Something crumpled Sasuke's insides from the moment Itachi landed his gaze on Sasuke's dark and shriveled orbs, when he brushed his thumb against his lower lip and glanced at the succulent flesh as if it were the most desirable thing he had ever laid his eyes on. Sasuke sank under his contemplation. Not that he was comfortable, being stared at for so long in such a disengaged way. But Itachi had this pace, this painstaking cadence that seemed to unravel Sasuke's twitches, sounds and breaths. He was gentle, a compassion Sasuke couldn't even figure out when had last been offered to him.

Lost in an indecorous mess of groans, Sasuke found himself holding onto Itachi's forearms, battling with the urge to dig his nails into his skin and scream. Itachi leaned over the incandescent body that lay beneath him, his lips almost touching Sasuke's neck. Sweat glistened around the edges of his face, making some of the long hair strands stick to his forehead. Itachi watched Sasuke move uncomfortably, his smaller frame tangling with his own in an unwitting rapture. But Itachi was oblivious and his ignorance towards Sasuke's torments caused him to err. It was when Itachi plunged his teeth down Sasuke's neck, ravishing over the smoothness and bitter taste of his skin when Sasuke snapped.

First his pupils widened, followed by a drowned gasp and the later jerking off of his until then, compliance. In a split second, Sasuke was pushing Itachi away and getting out of bed. Itachi silently followed Sasuke's every move while he calmly reached for his clothes and slipped his yukata on. Unfortunately, Sasuke had by far not been the first slave he'd guided. But he did hope he was the last.

Sasuke backed up towards the wall and realized he was still naked when the gritty surface scratched his skin. His gaze travelled around the room quickly and before he could even think of rushing for his clothes, Itachi was already placing the yukata in front of him. Sasuke's breathing became erratic and he would've chocked with his own heartbeat if possible. Itachi kneeled in front of Sasuke, spreading the yukata on the floor. He then folded it quickly and stood up. Sasuke only stared at him, frowning at his serene reaction. He lowered his gaze to the piece of clothing and examined it as if an explosive tag could have been attached to it during the time span of its removal. While Sasuke was debating between dressing up, waiting for Itachi to leave, or nonchalantly abandoning the room in his birthday suit - although something told him that the last option would probably end up satisfying the large majority of peepers – Itachi had started to make the bed. Sasuke couldn't help put stare at him, once he'd decided he was definitely not comfortable with being naked any longer.

Itachi didn't utter a word and Sasuke wondered if that was a good or a bad sign. Itachi seemed to be completely focused on the simple chore and Sasuke, confused by what seemed an attempt to dismiss his presence, found himself walking slowly towards Itachi. Itachi became aware of Sasuke's approach at his first step. He finished folding and straightening the dark red upper sheet and by then, Sasuke was standing within a short distance. Sasuke could only catch glimpse of Itachi's body bowing over the bed and was oblivious to the intriguing look Itachi held, squinting at Sasuke under the tufts of hair that fell over his face.

"You want to talk about it?" Itachi inquired, still not rushing into eye contact.

Sasuke frowned, roaming his gaze through his demure features. Why this man hung onto addressing him as an equal and acted unfazed at his unbridled rampages was, if not more, unexpected. Astonishment lined right after. Talk about it? Besides the undeniable fact that Sasuke had never – and this he was sure of – ever been asked to share his thoughts, there was nothing really worth saying. Or rather nothing he wished to talk about. Certain guidelines are not the only thing a slave walks off with after being under a domain period. He also takes a reminder of his master's crazes, vices and weaknesses. Sasuke did - some of them. His third liked to bite. Not the erotic, damp, arousing kind of bite, but the one that hurts. The one that makes you flinch, tense and wail – especially when he sank his teeth deep into Sasuke's sore flesh.

The silence was enough for Itachi to forsake the conversation attempt. He sat on the edge of the mattress and reached for his sandals.

"You should get something to eat. Working with an empty stomach will keep you from being efficient", Itachi advised as he finished tidying himself up. Sasuke reacted at the sound of his voice, glancing at him with interest. "And you'll get sick. You should also get some rest later."

"I slept all night", Sasuke clarified. He cleared his throat and readjusted the right sleeve of his yukata, which had snaked down his shoulder. Itachi met his eyes with a weak smile.

"Did you?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, trying to stint any occasion for intimacy and further inquires about his sleep, which would inevitably lead to the sharing, the questioning and the nightmares. There was, though, a part of him that wanted to – talk. The part that embraced a large variety of yearnings that went from featuring what would a different life could have been like to such a trivial thought as the mystery regarding sushi's flavor. Wondering if others also spent time brooding mental getaways was included in the matter.

"He liked to bite me", Sasuke blurted before Itachi had left the room. Not that it would've made a difference, thus it appeared Sasuke wasn't really even aware of the other's attentiveness. Itachi held the door open while glancing at him sideways. He was glad to have been able to figure out the cause of Sasuke's previous commotion and he patiently waited for any further information, but it never came. He didn't prompt him either. Itachi left as soon as he realized there was nothing worth voicing.

**xxXxx**

"Give me a break", Kisame murmured.

The fuss from the kitchen could be heard along the cramped hall that led to its inward. Sasuke wasn't caught by surprise by the recurrent uproar that filled the slave's lounges, but he was indeed startled when he opened the door and spotted a man with pale blue skin, dark blue matching hair, saw toothed teeth and what seemed to be gills on each side of his sharpened cheeks.

"You owe me you hake head!" Deidara grumbled, trying to attract the other's attention by narrowing the distance between them.

"I don't. As a matter a fact, _you _owe me for saving your ass last week when you skipped your weekly surveillance", Kisame countered back, straightly omitting Deidara's attempts to enrage him.

"What the- why you damn little sick fish…" Deidara beefed, clawing his fingers onto his scalp, "You know I can't stand that! I can't believe you actually keep a count on favors!"

"Says the man who walked up to me in search of a selfish payback", Kisame walked away from the counter, only to have Deidara stepping on his heels, "Seriously Deidara, _give-me-a-break_ or I will tear that girly face of yours apart. And believe me when I say I actually _would_ enjoy it, maybe even more than fucking you", he added with a surly grin.

Sasuke tried to pass as much unobserved as possible. He did not feel like engaging into a conversation, much less one that involved two vexed yet pretty horny men. Deidara did, but, take a brief moment to tease Sasuke, while Kisame only glanced at him and shaped a debauched smile. Luckily, Kisame was more focused on getting rid of Deidara than chatting with Sasuke, which forced the blonde to drive off as the taller man exited the chamber.

"They're always like that."

Sasuke swung his head towards the unfamiliar voice. With all the turmoil, he hadn't even noticed there was a girl sitting at the other end of the room. She was reading a small but thick book. She was dressed in a fancy flowery red and white yukata with Sakura petals garnished all over the pattern. From the crinkles on the fabric, he could tell that her right leg was crossed over her left one and that she possessed a small frame. Her hair was short and messy, although the most outstanding trait was its unusual pinkish pastel color. But it did seem familiar somehow.

Sakura smiled mischievously, folding the top edge of one of the book's pages before closing it and placing it on her lap.

"Did you like what you saw?" She asked playfully. Sasuke arched his eyebrows, trying to make out some sense into her words.

"Do I know you?"

"Just some of me", she traced a couple of fingers over the collar of her yukata, slightly tensing the dress in order to reveal a few more inches of skin.

And then he placed her. Not that almost viewing her nipple had been an incentive.

"This morning", Sasuke mentioned.

"This morning", Sakura sinuously let her hand fall back on her book, "and it's Sakura, by the way." She paused, granting him time to introduce himself as well and received a muffled 'Sasuke' in response.

"Don't worry, having a public turns me on", Sakura let go blatantly. Sasuke stared at her in awe and beckoned what seemed an attempt to vocalize, but desisted to form any reply. Sakura chuckled. She left the book on the wooden table next to her and stood up, her yukata dashingly sliding down her hips.

"He said you were quite, but this almost grazes muteness", she slowly walked passed by him, reaching for a glass of water. The intoxicating fragrance of jasmine filled his nostrils.

"Who?" Sasuke questioned, turning around to keep sight of her.

"I like your voice, it has an appealing ring", she winked, "I wish I had more time to read. _Haru no Yuki _is an excellent novel; you should give it a try some time." She swallowed down the last drops of water and left the glass in the sink.

Sakura roamed her gaze over Sasuke from tip to toe, ending its route right at Sasuke's gloomy stare. She smiled, her small white teeth showing from behind her slender lips.

"You should smile more. Faking will get you higher tips", she snickered, shifting her hands down to her red obi and skillfully untying it. Sasuke instinctively peeked at the road of nudity that now revealed two small turgid breasts topped with rosy nipples and a fair patch of short roseate hair nested between her legs.

"Welcome to Akatsuki", Sakura smiled anew, only this time her mouth shaped a much more eerie and murky grin, "Sasuke."

**xxXxx**

* * *

**Some of you might be wondering if there's going to be some heterosexual intercourse in the story. Well, I can't answer that cause I never know what's going to happen next until I write it. What I can say, is that this encounter between Sakura and Sasuke will not be extended in the next chapter, so whatever happened after this scene is left up to your sole speculation skills ;D. Regarding graphic lemons, do you want to see more sexual details? Because I kind of like playing with subtlety here, but I'm open to suggestions. **

**And now after all of this rambling, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please leave me a review :3. It makes my heart beat faster! **


	4. IV

**I'm so excited with the recent events of the manga! We've waited so many years for the huge _revelation_ and now we're (hopefully) finally going to understand where all this madness is coming from! As you can see, here's a new chapter for you, my lovely readers. You make me so happy every time you review or favorite/follow the story :). So I encourage you to keep it up and to all of those who're out there just reading, give it a try! But overall, I hope you enjoy the story. **

**xxXxx**

* * *

"Oh, fuck…" Deidara moaned, tightening his grip on the sweaty sheets. His long smooth hair cascaded over his shoulders, slenderly kissing his toned chest. He hunkered, his torso practically slamming against the mattress as he met his lover's maddening pounding.

"Aaah… just… a little damn deeper…" Deidara leaned against him ecstatically, "Fuck, Itachi…" their bodies clashed in an almost violent welcoming and Itachi managed to hold Diedara steady enough to keep control of the mind blowing pace. It wasn't until Deidara reached for his manhood, stroking himself to exasperation, that he finally grasped completion. Itachi followed shortly after, his shrewdly silence only broken by faltering groans.

Deidara rolled on the bed, stretching one arm open as he placed his other hand over his agitated chest.

"Ah… you really are a killer. No wonder he wants you that much", Deidara snickered, drawing away the rebellious strands of hair that kipped over his blushed face. Itachi laid down next to him, drifting into his own thoughts as the mouthy blonde ranted on how much he loved having his cock shoved up his ass, accompanied by numerous detailed situations involving them, mirrors, ropes and a quite big amount of kinky sex toys.

Two weeks had passed since Sasuke had joined Akatsuki. So far, aside from the deathly glares, the initial resistance, often untouched dishes and the grubby now deformed from scratching the floor knife that Itachi had found under Sasuke's mattress, Itachi had to admit the rookie was doing pretty well. Compared to others as Deidara, who'd almost wrecked the place down to pieces before he learned that perhaps that was just _not_ a very clever thing to do or Sakura, who'd attempted to kill Pain by poisoning his drink, which had luckily ended in a fiasco thanks to Itachi's body language decrypting skills. She'd still gotten a broken rib, a black and blue eye and a swollen split lip for trying, though.

Sasuke was indeed challenging, in his own way. Unlike his fellow partners, whose either bitchiness or overweening sent a clear message, Sasuke's sedulous lack of conversation attempts left Itachi dealing with a shell of whatever Sasuke's former self had ever been and a boy drenched in more problems than anyone should ever have to bear. Itachi tried to spend as much time with Sasuke as possible, that was, when he wasn't busy ruffling in bed with hungry clients, satisfying colleagues or keeping Pain company. Regardless, Itachi always had a watchful eye on Sasuke. Or so he thought, until Sasuke committed his first damn bloody mistake.

**xxXxx**

"That over there is Endo-sama", Sakura sheepishly pointed a finger at a tall man who wore an ebony _yukata,_ garnished with a cream colored obi and matching dark tabi. His hair was a deep charcoal and it swung in a loose ponytail. An intense frown pulled at his skin and his gaze was as stern as a warrior's fallen in battle.

"He likes to spank and be all _tell-me-who's-your-master_", Sakura grinned, covering her mouth to disguise her laughter, "he plays reeeally rough and will probably end up bruising you. Hell, last time he rode me my ass was so sore I had to place a pillow on my back to sleep comfortably."

Sasuke shifted his gaze from Sakura to the man, mentally noting to by all means, try to avoid being summoned by him.

"Oh, oh. There's Takahashi-sama and his wife," Sasuke quickly drifted his eyes upon them, "now _this_ story is delicious. You see the woman's all alone, right? Bet you're thinking _what is a wealthy, all perfectly dressed up doll doing in a place like this_? Is she cheating? Because she has to be married. No daddy's girl would end up walking in here wearing such an expensive _junihitoe_. Love the color. Anyway, let me enlighten you before I start drooling over her makeup. You see, the Takahashi's like to play a little… game.

"A game?"

Sakura nodded.

"First, Takahashi-hime enters the brothel and picks one of us. Then, she wanders into a private room and engages sex with her election. Shortly after, Takahashi-sama also arrives and politely demands to know where his wife is at", Sakura gestured for Sasuke to watch, as the woman disappeared into one of the hallways, arm-in-arm with Sasori.

"Sometimes he straightly storms in, enraged by the supposed realization of his wife's infidelity. Either way, what later ensues always revolves around the same theme. Takahashi-sama encounters his wife being happily screwed by a stranger and - as it implausible or fucked up as it may seem – joins the party."

Sasuke glanced back at Sakura in dismay.

"What?"

Sakura let her head slightly fall sideways, a mischievous grin quickly spreading along her face as she took in Sasuke's disgusted stare.

"I know, I know, It's so weird!" Sakura swiftly moved aside, earning a hopeless sigh from a brunette who walked by them without delay, "we play along only because they come in late, passed midnight."

Sasuke shared one of the most perverted scenes he'd witnessed under his second master's domain with Sakura, who countered his lousy tale back with an even worse one.

"Who's that?" Sasuke asked, glaring at a woman dressed up in a fancy golden colored _yukata_ who was standing in front of a medley spectrum marshaled by both half naked men and women. Sakura took a gander at her and leaned gingerly over Sasuke's ear.

"That's Konan. She's Akatsuki's mistress", she chuckled, staring right at Sasuke, "in _all_ means."

Sakura ran one hand through her flossy hair, slowly letting her head fall back as she exhaled. Sasuke was staring at her slightly intrigued and he knew Sakura was aware of his attentiveness, just as they both knew she was dying to keep on blabbing. She was after all his only bind to Akatsuki's affaires, thus something told him Itachi would politely dismiss any inquiries regarding business Sasuke would take the courage to frame.

"Pain and Konan own the place. He takes care of finances, supplying and fucking the shit out of us if we kick up a row, whereas she holds her pretty face up to the public, attending costumers and serviceably standing by his side, even when he goes in berserk mode", Sakura scoffed.

"I've heard there's a third party who takes care of recruiting our kind", she whispered. Sasuke's ears shot wide open at her words.

"I'm trying to gather more information about the rumor, but whoever it is – _if there is a who_ – knows how to cover…"

"Ah, my beautiful blossoming flower, it feels like I've spent eternity away from your brittle lips already", a brazen voice sneered, making Sakura flinch. Sasuke turned around, meeting a hefty hideous looking man. Glints of gray demised in his short hair and a pretty nasty amount of it could also be seen from within his cleavage. He was as skinny as a wooden chopstick and his pronounced bone structure together with the crooked smile he evinced only added dimness to his decrepit appearance.

"Miura-sama…" Sakura finally spoke, displaying the best smile she could afford at the moment. The man quickly hovered over her and Sakura could smell the sour scent of liquor emanating from his respiration.

"I've come to see you little cherry", he sneered, almost clasping their skins together, "come with me."

"Did you pay?" She backed away from his grasp. He frowned, cursing under his breath.

"Well of course I have", he sentenced, nervously shifting his gaze in every direction, "Who do you think I am?"

Sakura flashed a skimpy smile. Customers were not allowed to approach workers if they hadn't been previously annotated by their mistress.

"Of course Miura-sama. It's only a matter of procedure… I need to make sure that Konan is aware of-"

"I will not accept such misdemeanor, especially coming from a slut!" He exclaimed, coming near Sakura. He was about to grab her when Sasuke intervened.

"Watch your mouth, you nasty scumbag", Sasuke warned.

"Sasuke!"

Miura acknowledged Sasuke for the first time, examining him from head to toe.

"Well it seems someone went to the market and got himself some fresh meat to sell", he frowned and gave Sasuke a pitiful look, "know your place, bastard. You're nothing more than a low quality replaceable piece", he glanced back at Sakura, "shameful."

What happened next was – and will forever be – on Sasuke's _now that you've decided to die _guide'stop list. Time and space narrowed into a whirlpool of curses, tussling and the dry cries of a young woman. Madness had been unlocked.

**xxXxx**

Deidara tucked himself under the grey sheet, laying flat on his stomach.

"I don't want to work…" He grumbled against the pillow. Itachi was sitting next to the blonde, his feet meeting the cold floor as he finished up dressing.

"I could always claim to have an STD…"

Itachi rolled his eyes, pulling his hair back up into his regular ponytail.

"Then they'd most likely kill you", he pointed out, tying the obi around his waist. Deidara sighed, shifting under the covers.

"I'm already dead", he mumbled with bated breath.

Itachi grinned and earned a puckish blow on his back as soon as Deidara heard a deep chuckle escape the eldest's lips.

"You're so dramatic", Itachi teased.

"Only be-"

Both men were startled by the sudden commotion that seemed to be breeding in the brothel's reception. They heard screaming but couldn't tell who was speaking or what were they saying.

"What the fuck?" Deidara lifted his head and looked towards the door, where he saw Itachi already walking down the hallway, marching to the core of the fuss.

Itachi had an inconvenient liability complex. It had hounded him since childhood and had unfortunately only become even more remarkable during his stay in Akatsuki. It wasn't until he saw Pain also hurrying in the same direction when he fully realized he'd stormed out of Deidara's room in a split second. As Itachi got closer, he recognized one of the desperate female voices as Sakura's and something in his gut screamed the word Sasuke. He wished he'd been wrong.

He found Sasuke whacking a client, who was struggling to dodge as many strikes as possible, though the top of his yukata was already soaked in fresh blood. Sakura was howling at Sasuke, asking him to stop while Konan was closing the tall carmine colored main doors, dismissing any awaiting clients.

"Itachi!" Sakura pleaded as soon as she spotted him, "make him stop!"

This was bad. Really bad. Sasuke was in serious trouble and he knew it would only get worse once Pain arrived. Itachi quickly reached for the boy, grabbed one of his wrists and tried to pull him off the other man. He wanted to say something, to scream as loud as Sakura to try to snap him out of his trance. Itachi had barely put his hands on Sasuke when he felt someone forcefully push him back. Pain stepped in between them and seized Sasuke by his hair, tearing him away offhandedly from the client's grasp. Sasuke shrieked.

"Get your hands off of me!"

Sasuke's body was lunged against the wall like a potato sack and Itachi could swear he heard something crack. Sakura let out a tight-lipped whimper and looked away. Konan quickly reached for Miura, helped him get back on his feet and started walking away, giving him a polite apology speech. Itachi glanced at Sakura and examined her in search of any injuries.

"There are no words to express this outrageous act of foolishness", Pain spoke, "did Itachi not explain the rules of my house properly?" He searched for Sasuke's gaze, "or does your petty brain does not bear the required intelligence to comprehend such simple guidelines?"

Sasuke remained silent and Pain tightened his grip around his throat, which made Sasuke's muscles tense and he inhaled for air.

"Answer", he demanded.

Sakura squinted at Sasuke, wondering if Pain's stroke had smashed his skull.

"Pain-"

"Shut up", Pain brusquely silenced Itachi.

"The client… always speaks the truth…" Sasuke started to recite in a strained voice, "no one said I couldn't… beat the crap out of them for it…"

Sasuke would've laughed if he'd had enough air to do so and he actually felt proud to discover he still had some sort of clever humor stored inside him, even if it was fucking inappropriate. Itachi couldn't believe Sasuke had just had the guts to say that, or rather the stupidity. Sakura bit her lip at the sound of Pain's fist impacting against Sasuke's stomach and the consequent blood sputum. Pain leaned over Sasuke's bruised body and whispered in his ear.

"You're going to beg me to kill you."

Pain loosened his grip around his neck and Sasuke fell down to his knees, bracing his arms around his stomach. Pain swiftly snatched him up by his hair once more and started to walk away, dragging a pained Sasuke behind him.

"Master, no! Please don't…!" Sakura cried out, following Pain, "He was only looking out for me!"

Pain ignored her claims.

Itachi remained still at first. He was thoroughly dissecting the situation, trying to figure out a favorable solution that would hopefully avoid Sasuke's incoming torture. He found none. Itachi silently tailed after Sakura, who kept trying to persuade Pain in vain. Heads popped out of rooms wherever the group walked by and even a chorus of servants gathered, gossiping about them. Seeing The Master drag a young wounded man down the halls wasn't a common _show_. They lost sight of the snoopers once they descended to the basement, where Pain tossed one of the doors open and threw Sasuke in a room. Sasuke clung to the floor, rolling into a fetal position, on the defensive. Pain squatted and watched him, relishing with Sasuke's fear.

He stood up and headed towards a wooden closet. Pain diligently reached for one of the drawers and grabbed a black leather whip. By then, Sasuke found himself shivering nimbly and he held tighter to his body, snagging his face against his shoulder. Sakura was standing in the hallway, softly mumbling '_I'm sorry' _ceaselessly with her shaky hands clutched to her _yukata_. Itachi gave her an apologetic look, though her eyes were focused somewhere else. Pain stripped Sasuke from his clothes violently, tossing them far away the other side of the room.

"You better scream", Pain demanded.

He did. Sasuke took the first lashes with a loud, strained shriek.

"Master!" Sakura pleaded once more. It was the last thing she said, thus Konan slapped her on the face and warned her to keep her mouth shut if she wanted to avoid receiving a dose of discipline herself.

As the lashes increased, he clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, tears of hate and pain sliding down his cheeks. He's body went numb, but blood kept dripping from the burning streaks and Pain continued to harrow him. Then, he suddenly stopped. Sasuke's breath was erratic and the stinging was so intense that he felt as if he were on fire. Unfortunately, the punishment wasn't over. Pain got on his knees and pulled Sasuke by his arm, earning a series of husky bleats in response. He placed him down on his stomach and Sasuke just lay down lifeless, too beaten to even care to react. But he did cry out as soon as he felt Pain intrude him from behind unceremoniously. He clawed the floor, flinched and tried to pull away, but there was no escape.

At the humiliating sight, Sakura freed herself from Konan's grip and walked away. She could not stand a second of denigration any longer; she'd had enough for a lifetime. Itachi, on the other hand, stayed. His features lacked any sort of emotion and one could easily think he was unmoved by the situation. He wasn't. In fact, he was deeply disturbed by what he was witnessing, but he neither said nor did nothing. He watched, though. Watched carefully. He took in every whimper, every hopeless plea, every rough movement. Just as he also took Sasuke's clothes once Pain had left. He used its remaining shreds to cover Sasuke's listless body as he picked him up and carried him back to his room. The caliber of the recent damage had yet to be seen.

**xxXxx**

* * *

**This is the longest chapter so far :D. As my classes have begun, I worked on this chapter for three different days, instead of my usual one day inspirational sit down, which pretty much slowed down the creative process. Buuut, I've managed to bring it to a – _I think_ – decent outcome. Feedback is as always highly appreciated, so please tell me what you liked or disliked ;). **


	5. V

**Phew, it's been a very busy month and I'm afraid to say that the upcoming will be worst. College though great is also stressful and takes away most of my energy. But to those worried about writer's block, know that this is not the case. I have plenty of ideas, I just don't have the time and dedication to commit to more often uploads. Anyway, thanks for the continued support. I'm very happy to be receiving such good feedback. You guys are awesome :) **

**xxXxx  
**

For days, Sasuke said nothing. He hadn't been forced into working since his punishment either, which had conveniently favored his silent strike. He'd lie in bed and awaken from his slumber once in a while, scrutinizing the room to ensure his safety every time. Sometimes he'd even drag his hollow body to the bathroom, yet he seriously tried to avoid leaving the assuredness of the four now familiar walls he drowsed in.

He hadn't eaten in three days. Every time he woke up, Sasuke found a tray laying in front of the doorway, but he did not dare to touch it. Not because he feared he'd be poisoned to death, but because he knew he'd throw up the minute the food landed inside his stomach. It's not like his mind was focused on registering hunger anyway. Sasuke suspected Itachi had been responsible for most of the meals, since there were occasions where Sasuke could distinguish more tomato slices than usual in the main dish and no traces of cucumber. Sasuke was aware of the special attention he received from the eldest, and so deduced that Itachi's constant supervision had resulted into the private food knowledge. In another situation, he would've been thankful.

Itachi checked on him one or two times a day, usually distributed between early morning and dawn. Sasuke would hear the door be pushed open and listen to the stealth of Itachi's intrusive steps. Sometimes he did not enter, but stood still and just watched from the hallway instead. Itachi did not make any attempt of engaging into conversation, much less to lecture him and Sasuke was grateful, at first. Then it became confusing, later disturbing and now it was just irritating.

Sasuke uncurled his body, the sheets grabbling around his frame as he rolled onto his other side. Insomnia was definitely kicking in hard. He constantly felt weary, yet he couldn't bring himself to sleep a proper amount of hours, which resulted into an endless spiral of fatigue. Sun rays streamed through the small window of the chamber, aiming right at Sasuke. He fluttered, as if he could drive away the uncomfortable heat that pried upon him. The top of his face protruded from the sheets and he unwillingly glanced in the daylight's direction. It must've been around noon. Sasuke frowned and looked away, sinking his face in the pillow. He closed his eyes tight and exhaled. He knew it wouldn't take long for Pain or one of the others to lug him out of the room. The only reason why he'd had been allowed to remain secluded until then, was because of the scarring. As much as his Master would love to have Sasuke offering himself regardless of the obvious soreness that crumpled his body, Pain was luckily more concerned about the brothel maintaining an upstanding image and meeting certain aesthetic standards than making his underlings deal with martyrdom.

Sasuke crawled from underneath the sheets and sat up, leaning his back against the bedside. He heedlessly stared towards the door. He was sure Sakura had not come to visit even once. He thought he'd heard her whispering to Itachi once, but he'd soon realized the sound of the second voice was not at all feminine. Sasuke did not expect her either. In fact, he felt relieved about her not coming to pity him. She would've probably tried to cheer him up and that was the least he wanted.

He glanced down at the floor in search of a possible tray of food, but found none. He guessed they'd probably bring him something soon, though. Sasuke lowered his gaze, slowly trailing his attention over the haul of scars that rode his chest as he also roamed one hand over the ones on his back. They seemed to be cicatrizing decently. Just as he was about to reach for the teapot sitting on the bedside table, the door opened.

**xxXxx**

There was little magnificence in Akatsuki, if any, yet Pain's private chamber seemed to be a skimpy stain of refinement concealed in the thickness of filth he called _business_. The dimensions of the room were larger than usual and everything was carefully arranged. Facing the entrance was a sober black and white *_kaiga_, which depicted a woman cringed between dark flames, coating her body. The harrowing way she appeared to be tearing off the skin of her face with her bare hands, revealed her identity as Izanami, goddess of death. On the left side, was a shelf packed with string-bound books and a writing table, where various scrolls filled with names, dates, figures and other indecipherable annotations were displayed. There was only one book set on the table and it read "_The book of five rings"_, which seemed to have been consulted over a thousand times, judging by the folded tips of some pages and the worn-out cover. A large bed was located under the _kaiga _and next to it, a small night table. Ash residues heaped the long wooden incense burner. There was a door on the right side of the room, which lead to an intimate chamber where the ghosts of the lost lingered in the form of a small altar with scented candles and several incense sticks yet to be burnt. Maybe death itself truly was the only thing that could torment a tormenter.

Pain let his tongue slowly roam down Konan's stomach, thriving in her anticipation. Her breaths, her pulse, her body, were all clung to the known rewarding feeling of having her lover's mouth clamped between the wetness of her sex. So she waited. But hastiness relentlessly overcame her and she found herself rocking her hips against Pain, prying for him to make her lose it at once. Because Konan may put up a pleasing face in front of customers, may arrange an origami flower to wear on her hair each day and may have to deal with the dreadful feeling of loneliness that dries her throat, but when it narrows down to Pain, she only wishes to ride him like an animal and be fucked to sleep. Even if he's a bitter, exhausting, full of himself narcissistic with a fetish for *BDSM. Sadly for Konan, Pain did not reach the expected destination. Instead, he bent his head sideways and grinned at the unexpected visitor. Not that something could be particularly unexpected to Pain at this point.

"Itachi", he greeted, "I do not recall summoning you. As you can see", he glanced back at Konan's heated state, "I am quite busy."

Itachi had actually been standing inside of the bedroom for a couple of minutes now, but Pain as always, could not care less. When he said nothing, Pain continued to arouse Konan by teasingly bringing his hand down to her thigh, finally starting to rub her clit as she moaned.

"You are angry", he stated, his breath gingerly tickling Konan's skin. Itachi still remained silent, though he did stare intently at Pain and if glares could scorch, Pain would have melted into a mishmash of body parts by then.

"I have something to discuss", Itachi finally voiced. He waited for a response and watched Pain stop caressing Konan to what seemed a faint acknowledgement on his part, but proved to be a taunting gesture once he suddenly fully drove himself into Konan. She arched her back and plunged her nails on one of Pain's shoulders as she gripped the sheets with her other hand. Her cries were quickly drowned by the force of his thrust.

Itachi frowned and rolled his eyes at the scene before him. Any other would have said something. Hell, any other would have probably joined the feast by then, just not Itachi. Though even if he wasn't enthusiastic about having Pain screw Konan like it was the most natural thing to do in front of outsiders, he could not deny his obvious manhood and everything it encompassed, thus he walked towards the table and glanced down at the unfolded scrolls, trying to find the best way to get Pain's attention and at the same time distract himself.

"You're angry because I punished the little brat", Pain spoke as he almost fully pulled out of Konan only to push himself in harder. Itachi reached for the sole book and carefully opened it randomly, obviating Pain's comment. _'__To become the enemy, see yourself as the enemy of the enemy' _– he read.

"We both knew it was only a matter of time before he crossed the line", Pain slowed down the pace, leaning over Konan's lips, "all of them do at some point." Pain grabbed Konan by her wrists, drew himself out of her and dragged Konan on all fours as he once again rammed into her insides.

"Pain!" Konan gasped, closing her eyes as she felt her lover sink in her unmercifully.

"Can you believe after so many times I've fucked her she still tries to act like a virgin?" Pain slowly slid one hand over Konan's breast and teased her stiff nipple, making her moan in pleasure and bob her hips against him with force. "I wonder if you've been frequenting other men behind my back, little angel", he grinned and clamped one hand over her delicate throat as he slightly deprived it from air, "If so, _please_ tell them their Master is satisfied", he grinned mischievously and loosened his grip on Konan.

"I want to take Sasuke out with me", Itachi interrupted Pain's obscene little game. Pain frowned and halted his movements all at once. He glanced towards Itachi, as if meeting eyes in this situation was not at all shameless. Konan sighed at the brusque deterrence.

"Is that so?" Pain inquired. After a moment of reflection or at least what Itachi deduced as such, Pain drew away from Konan and grabbed one of the _yukatas_ hurled in the floor.

"I think it will be good for him to leave the brothel for some hours. Breathe fresh air and walk", Pain finished adjusting his clothes and Itachi kept speaking, "He erred and fully understood your message. It's time for him to remember there's life outside these walls. You know he's been living here more than enough time to be allowed outside accompanied."

Pain stood right in front of Itachi, trailing his gaze over every centimeter of visible skin as if he could read Itachi's mind through the grooves of his flesh. Pain's look was stern and defiant at first.

"Are you trying to send him away?"

Itachi frowned.

"I would never do such a foolish thing."

Silence plowed between both men, shaping an invisible battlefield filled with chances and impossibilities. Pain suddenly smiled archly.

"You are so serious, Itachi. It's amusing", Pain teased and walked away, heading for the writing table.

"Here's the list. Make sure you deal with all of them", he grabbed a sheet of paper and handed it to Itachi, "You can take him with you. As you said, it would be foolish of you to let him go after all you've gone through to find him."

**xxXxx**

Sasuke was not shocked to see it was Itachi who was standing at the other side of the door, but he did feel uncomfortable. Itachi stopped on his tracks when he realized Sasuke was awake and staring right at him, but he masked his surprise.

"I guess you're feeling better. That's good."

Sasuke retreated his hand from the teapot. Itachi stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He walked towards the bed and Sasuke tensed, watchfully staring at him. Itachi headed to the night table, picked up the teapot and poured the brownish liquid into a small cup. Sasuke was confused by the gesture. The fact that Itachi was aware of however small detail, was somehow annoying to Sasuke. It made him feel vulnerable.

"You haven't eaten in days", Itachi said as he tended him the teacup.

"I didn't like it", Sasuke lied, also ignoring his offering. Itachi smiled to himself and left the teacup on the table.

"I'm sorry to hear that, I'll tell the maids to fix something different next time."

Sasuke glanced at him, taken aback by how ironically similar they seemed to be sometimes. So lying was a favorite. Itachi turned around to face the window and squinted at the sunlight's perfervid pressure.

"It's a nice day", he paused, "do you want to take a walk?"

_What? _Sasuke was glad he hadn't accepted the tea or he would be choking on it.

"Are you messing with me?!" He complained. Itachi looked at him.

"I don't like to judge, but I do hope my sense of humor isn't that shallow."

"Why the fuck do you always have to speak so polite?! You sound like an old lady talking to her husband in an art exhibit!" Sasuke tossed away the sheets and got up.

"And you sound like a stray cat."

"We are in a fucking whorehouse!" Sasuke screamed and mumbled a quiet _"and what you just said doesn't even make sense" _after.

Sasuke crouched, cursing under his breath. He covered his face and pulled at his hair. Sasuke could feel tears swell in his eyes and he rubbed them to avoid the teardrops from spilling.

"I can't, I can't. I don't care how many times you all tell me that I'll get used to it. I just won't", Sasuke buried his face between his arms, "I mean, I shouldn't even be complaining, right? At least here there are people who actually seem to care about me. But I still can't, it hurts. And I'm not talking about the damn stinging in my back. It hurts _inside_.

Sasuke chuckled listless.

"Okay, that still sounds messed up. Forget it."

Itachi was already standing by Sasuke's feet by the time he ended his monologue. He looked down at the bereaved creature dumped in front of him. Sasuke seemed even smaller now. He blamed himself for not being able to spare grief and shame from Sasuke, for not being stronger. Itachi bend down, meeting Sasuke's height. He tentatively lifted his hand towards him and slipped it under his arm and on his cheek. He felt the wetness of Sasuke's face against his palm and brushed his thumb over the damp streak. Sasuke did not falter. Instead, he leaned against Itachi's warmth, enjoying his smooth touch. There was this uncanny gentleness in Itachi which Sasuke still had not managed to comprehend. But it didn't matter then. Whatever the reason or the genuine nature of Itachi's person, Sasuke felt an intoxicating attraction towards him. And Itachi had been the only one to not touch him out of greed, anger or envy. He let his arms fall on his sides and sheepishly glanced up at Itachi.

Sasuke also lifted one hand and placed it behind Itachi's head, bringing him closer. The distance between them was quickly curtailed, but they only gazed upon each other's eyes.

"Itachi…" Sasuke murmured in awe.

He grinned.

"You don't call me Master anymore?"

"That's because you're not my Master" Sasuke countered with a deep, confident voice. He then leaned in and grazed their lips together in a delicate but heated kiss. Itachi could not help but smile.

**xxXxx**

* * *

**I think there's only one thing left to say after this: yaoi ahead. Hell, yeah. **

_***Kaiga: antique, refined type of Japanese painting.**_

_***BDSM: Bondage, Discipline, Sadism and Masochism. **_


	6. VI

**Over two months already?! Gee, time flies, I mean it. I've been very busy with college and all, but as you can see I have NOT abandoned this story! I just keep getting more and more stuff to deal with in life. Anyway, sorry for the delay and thanks to all whom either reviewed or added this story to fav/alert. The love is appreciated :)! And a special thanks to **_**Bubbel97**_** for dealing with my mental struggles, let's see what happens from now on. **

**xxXxx**

* * *

Clothes were hurled off their bodies with blistering need. Sasuke had sunk into Itachi's complexion, making their lips hum almost in despair. Itachi had never been so welcoming. He moved his hand to Sasuke's nape, as he let his other one venture down the opening of Sasuke's yukata. Sasuke, on the other hand, had taken the lead, drawing himself over Itachi's body so that he was now practically binding him down to the floor with his own weight; his legs resting around Itachi's side as they both untied their obis. There was this thin spark of uncertainty veiling over every move, glance and grasp. Sasuke could not bet on the matter regarding Itachi, but in his case, it was the first time he actually truly _wished _for another being to touch him in this way. Strangely, he did found himself wondering if the man now seized under his demanding urges _had_ experienced this feeling of frailty with someone before. _I am not jealous_, he told himself.

Dispatching his thoughts, he leaned over Itachi's neck, removing some of the raven hair strands that were gleaming in sweat and bit down passionately. Itachi threw his head back and dug his nails on Sasuke's now bare back.

"Have you been practicing?" He mocked.

Sasuke allowed himself to smile, lips still trailing down the delicate flesh. Maybe Itachi's sense of humor was better than he had deemed at first.

"You know I have". He omitted reminding him where and what they were.

Itachi was far more pleased with Sasuke's boldness than he would dare say, but this was a battle for sexual dominance and though he was indeed generous, he was also not suited for defeat. He had yet to learn Sasuke was even less. In a swift movement, Itachi switched positions, pinning Sasuke down to the floor.

"If I call you Master will you let me fuck you?" Sasuke inquired amused, quite displeased by being outstripped so easily. Itachi had to fight back laughter. Sasuke was starting to sound more like Deidara and he could not make out if that was an improvement. His choice of words had also somehow struck him.

"You'd have to do much more than that for me to let you fuck me", he played along. Itachi then searched for Sasuke's lips, nibbling them until turned crimson. Sasuke bucked his hips against Itachi, taking notice of his prominent erection. He roamed one hand down Itachi's body, eager to take in his hand the manhood he had already once witnessed and savored. But Itachi grabbed his wrist, withdrawing Sasuke from his intentions as he reached for the folds of Itachi's yukata.

"There is time", Itachi whispered, leading Sasuke's hand back on his chest.

Sasuke stared back at him bemused.

"It's only sex", he heard himself spat and as he spoke, he could already sense the lie that had rose in his throat. He expected to watch Itachi falter or at least eye him disturbed.

"But I am not your client", he simply countered back instead, leaning to kiss Sasuke's collarbone. Damn, was he thorough. Sasuke got rid of his second thoughts when Itachi nipped at one of his nipples. A soft moan escaped Sasuke's lips as Itachi then covered the other one with his mouth, circling it with his tongue. He gripped Itachi's hair, dipping his fingers through the thick black cascade furled in a loose ponytail. If Itachi wanted to play it slow, he'd go for it. At this point, Sasuke was even weighing begging for him to take care of the heated matter further down in need of attention, but sure, he could play along for a while longer…

However, he couldn't, and as he mentally dealt with anticipation, he realized their yukata's were still hanging over their waists. Oh, how he wanted those bothersome pieces of clothing off. Just as Sasuke was relishing over the thought of being fully skin to skin, Itachi released the now sore nipples, drenched in arousal and pushed himself off Sasuke's body. Sasuke glanced at him.

"To the bed", Itachi guided, and despite Sasuke's usual resistance to commands, he quickly obliged, for he was aware Itachi was accustomed to suggestions.

It might have been the fact that Itachi was painfully taking his time into drinking in Sasuke's sight, planting warm kisses all over his body as if he were a chaste maiden, or the fact that unlike other times, Sasuke was allowed to only receive and not give out of duty, but for once, Sasuke felt driven to let go. It seemed such an obvious premise, to simply be moved by one's own will, free of fear at what might follow or what should be done or said. So he did.

After what seemed like a lifetime compared to previous ministrations, Sasuke found himself almost begging to be taken. Itachi was enjoying himself, leading his hands and mouth over and around Sasuke's sensitive spots, and was equally pleased at hearing his name called in such an ecstatic voice, urging him to make him his. Itachi leaned over him once again, seizing his lips with his in an attempt to convey his thoughts in one touch, which unknown to Sasuke, ran much deeper than desire itself.

"I'm sorry", was the last thing Itachi said before he plunged himself in him. For a split second, Sasuke frowned, confused by the sudden apology and contemplated the possible reasons behind it, only to be racked by an intense pain. He gripped Itachi's forearm and cried out. The eldest quickly brought one of his hands between Sasuke's thighs, willing to distract Sasuke from the intrusion, and he also gave him a soft peck on the now tightened lips. Fortunately, the pain did not last long due to the the usual actions Sasuke's body was used to enduring.

From there on, the course of events become a symphony of moans, gasps and pleas, as well as an erratic dance of lips on lips, and hip against hip. And in the mist of rampant devotion, Sasuke could have laughed, for he found his present thoughts if not pitiful the least. He remembered the first kiss he had shared under the tall trees of _Kusagakure_ with a small orphan girl, the weight of the chains around his wrists as he awaited the slave trading, the angry and rough hands of his first master and the prying ones of his second. It all came in a flash, and he closed his eyes as he also remembered a boy his age apprising him for this kind of reminiscences some years ago.

"_My brother told me that you see all the important events of your life pass before your eyes when you die", he'd informed Sasuke with what attempted to be a very serious tone, his violet eyes flickering from side to side in alert of their master's possible upcoming presence._

"_That statement is a paradox…" Sasuke paused, trying to remember the boy's name, "how could he have told you that if he died in the first place?" He reprimanded, eyeing him with his eyebrows fully arched._

_The white-haired child had given him a lost look the minute Sasuke skewed the first words, squinting his eyes as if trying to decipher their meaning, until he grasped the length of the contradiction._

"_Well he _almost _did! He's a shinobi, you know? And shinobi are always at the brink of death", he replied overconfidently. Sasuke had scoffed, purposely wishing to disparage his companion's words, but reconsidered the outcome and instead whispered to himself._

"_They are not the only ones."_

"_What?" _

This was nothing like death, of course, though in its own way, it somehow was. It was the unleashing of emotions he thought lost, some of them unknown until then, and that's how Sasuke envisioned death feeling like; a scorching fear jumbled with a touch of excitement at the hands of impotence. And even as Sasuke mused over the awkwardness of thinking about death and slave boys while being fucked, the truth is that all of his thoughts had been embroiled naturally in his mind. Moreover, it made him wonder if Itachi was also deep in thought right now, which judging by the way he masterfully managed to hit Sasuke's sweet spot without himself losing control, was highly doubtful.

So Sasuke went back to focusing on the man who was so dearly bringing him to the verge of rapture. Sasuke had been put on his four, his stomach now flat on the mattress beneath him and he felt each of Itachi's thrusts hit deeper, and each groan rise higher, until all that was left of them was a fine, heated mess. Itachi, despite his years of advantage in experience, was the first one to near his climax, and so increased his attentions towards the youngest in order to match his arousal. Sasuke was in bliss; so much pleasure could not be possible, especially since he had always regarded sex as a punishment or his duty. But this, this was a bomb. Not only was the pleasure a treat, but the care, the notion that this was being done out of choice, and he loved it; loved the significance of the act.

It wasn't until they had settled down, rolling themselves on the bed as their breathings lowered, that everything that had gotten into Sasuke seemed to sink in. He slowly turned his head to glance at the resting figure that lay beside him, eyes shut and lips parted as Itachi's lungs reached for air. There had clearly been something different in this intercourse, something beyond words and justifications that Sasuke couldn't quite place even for the sake of his sanity. But there was something more urgent plaguing his mind; what should be done next. He had, of course, been reduced to a fucking hole countless times, but he had dreaded it, unlike now. Therefore, he had never felt compelled to actually _do_ or _say _anything, and only did when asked to. But now? There was this attractive _wh_- young man lying naked next to him, who had always treated him kindly and had surprisingly rewarded him with one of the best experiences ever. Surely there must be some sort of protocol for this sort of situations, but how could Sasuke know?

So, he did what felt most natural, in spite of secretly wanting to brush his fingers against Itachi's skin and strip him of the damn hair band; he sat up and searched for his clothes. Still curious to how would Itachi react, Sasuke kept a watchful eye on him, squinting at him under his long bangs. Itachi however, did not move an inch, except for the constant rising of his chest. He had felt the weight of Sasuke's body leave the bed, had recognized the particular doubtfully footsteps of the youngster and had listened to the shuffling of clothes. He had been searching for the right words to say for a while now, for he was aware that after such a display of whatever this should be called, there should be some perfect words that lived up to how he felt, but they just were nowhere to be found. Itachi had so many faults to make amends for, he couldn't bring himself to make some harmless joke or at least address Sasuke in a proper deserved way, and he knew he was already taking too long.

Itachi wished he could just scoop Sasuke in his arms and sweet talk him into yearning for better days, which Sasuke must already be, only this time it would be sealed as a promise. But he couldn't, because such promise would most likely end up being broken. Besides, there were also other matters that should be revealed then, which Itachi truthfully feared more than utopian futures. In the end, Itachi pulled on his _yukata _and sat at the edge of the bed, running his fingers through his hair as he attempted to redo his ponytail. He was so distracted by his movements and thoughts that the hair band nearly fell to the ground when Sasuke's voice suddenly rose, free from the hoarse tone it had gained during their lovemaking.

"Why did you apologize?"

It was a clear, plain question, one that could only have a definite answer in response, yet Itachi managed to look unfazed and adapted his reply ad lib. At the silence, Sasuke tried to further explain himself.

"Before you, hn…"

"I was about to pierce you", Itachi interjected solemnly, though a playful hint lingered in his voice, "an apology seems like the least thing I should have given."

Sasuke's expectations seemed to settle at the reasonable response, since he made no more inquires about the subject. Itachi, on the other hand, finished twisting the hair band around his thick mane with the certainty that he had lied, for there was so much more he regretted regarding his little brother.

**xxXxx**

* * *

**I hope this makes up for the little delay and remember; reviews make my fingers fly! So please indulge me :) **

**p.s: can you guess who the little slave boy was? ;) **


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